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Thursday, August 17, 2017

Christianity has failed to prevail in the three major regions of Asia: India, China and Japan.

Christians account for 2.3% of the Indian population, 7.5% of the Chinese population, and 2.3% of the Japanese population.

India had Hinduism, China had Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, Japan had Shintoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism before European Christian missionaries arrived in these countries. India and China had longer history than the Vatican, and Japan had almost the same period of history as the Vatican. And European Christianity or the Vatican could not succeed in diffusion of Christianity in these regions.

However, in the African regions south of the Sahara, Christians account for 63% of the peoples. And 93% of South Americans are Christians. These regions had no civilization history comparable with Europe's.

So, it is rather a surprise that Christianity prevailed in the Roman Emperor and post-Roman Europe. Or we should think that Christianity when it prevailed in Europe and Christianity when the Vatican tried to diffuse it in India, China, and Japan were different. Christianity changed from its original status when the Vatican took control of the religion. The Vatican's version of Christianity was effective to Africans and native South Americans who had no civilization comparable with Europeans'. But it was not sufficient to India, China, and Japan that had comparable civilization with Europeans' when the Vatican started to try to diffuse its version of Christianity.

These situations seem to suggest that there is something wrong in the Vatican version of Christianity. Furthermore, the Vatican could not compete with Islam when Islam started to prevail in the Middle East. It also suggests that there is something wrong in the Vatican version of Christianity.

From the beginning, when Christianity first started to diffuse in the Roman Empire, there was no such theology as was established by the Vatican in later centuries. Early Christian priests engaged in mission work only relying on words of Christ Jesus and the Gospels or letters from Paul, etc. but not on Vatican theology such as divine trinity.

Put simply, because there were some critical defects in the Vatican version of Christianity, it was not fully accepted by Hindus, Chinese, Japanese, etc., although the Vatican succeeded in Africa and South America by leveraging its cultural superiority. And due to the defects, the Vatican could not defeat Islam.

Even in the US, Catholics account for 24%. The Vatican version of Christianity is not attractive even in the US where 70% of the people are European origin.
What I want to emphasize is it is time for the Vatican to review its theology, since the global history and situations tell that there is something wrong in the Vatican version of Christianity. And, it must also apply to other schools of Christianity, including protestants.

Indeed, there are reasons in any situations in history. And the largest issue in this 2000-year-long history is why the Vatican has failed in India, China, Japan, the US, Islamic regions, etc. The next 2000 years for the mankind must be based on this review. **** **** ****Act 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.Act 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,Act 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.Act 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

The Tone River, one of the largest rivers in Japan, at its Estuary to the Pacific Northeast of Tokyo

Worldly Interests and American Presidents

Interests of individuals are major causes and motivations for their behaviors.

Material interests are easy to detect, but psychological interests are a little difficult to see through. Hate and love come mainly from these interests.

When Barack Obama was elected in 2008, most of American voters have material interests to vote for an African American candidate who had no deep connection with establishment of the financial sector and Wall Street businesses that were responsible for the 2008 Financial Crisis. And many of American voters have psychological interests to vote for an African American candidate even only because of his position as a minority member in the US society.

However, during Obama's eight-year presidential term, the US economy was recovered and the most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden, who also symbolized a dubious relationship between US elites and Arab rich men, was executed by a US military special unit. The momentum that enabled the first black American President was gone. The time of emergency for the US was gone. Obama was a kind of emergency relief. When the US economy experienced a 10% unemployment rate and the US military could not take on the main culprit of the 9/11 Terror, American voters wanted a kind of revolutionary regime change. So Obama was elected.

But in 2016, the financial and economic crisis was gone, and America looked safer from Islamic terror, a majority of white voters came to give priority to their own interests. Now, the whole America was saved and pulled through the worst years. It is time, they must think, to pursue their own interests, white Americans' interests.

There, rich and egoistic Trump appeared as a presidential candidate, appealed to white voters, and succeeded in winning the 2016 Presidential Election with overwhelming support from working-class whites in swing states. And, now most of Americans, including the whites who voted for Trump in 2016, are getting embarrassed by President Trump's behavior.

This is a clear example of what would happen when people act based on worldly interests.

In this world, even in the human world, desire for fulfilling interests alone cannot sustain peace and prosperity of individuals and societies. The Roman Empire needed Greek philosophy; Chinese dynasties needed Confucianism, Buddhism, etc.; even the British Empire needed products of culture accumulated over centuries since the European Renaissance.

Trump is a symbol of success in the domain of interests, while Obama represents some ideals. Situations based on interests are unstable while philosophy, ideology, religion, etc. give more solid foundation that assure long-term peace and stability.

However, every thing changes in this world, but the words of God do not change. Therefore, any American presidents who got reasonable reputation had to show more respect for God than Trump.

(But President Trump may be effective against very anti-Bible force in the American society than is found even among liberal or progressive Americans.)

**** **** ****Mat 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust.Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.https://www.amazon.com/Librarian-Auschwitz-Antonio-Iturbe/dp/1627796185

Dita was rescued alive in 1945 by allied troops. She married a man who had been also put in Auschwitz after WWII. She must deserve the Nobel Prize in Literature.

But what eight books should we choose if we are allowed to keep them in any circumstance if not in Auschwitz? On one site, the following eight books (novels) are nominated. 1 . Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes2 . In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust3 . Ulysses by James Joyce4 . The Odyssey by Homer5 . War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy6 . Moby Dick by Herman Melville7 . The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri8 . Hamlet by William Shakespearehttp://thegreatestbooks.org/

But, the gravest sin of Nazi Germany is that they didn't allow captured Judaists to keep their holy books.

**** **** ****Joh 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.Joh 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

Monday, August 14, 2017

An African man published a novel in 1952, which is called "the most impressive work of fiction by an American Negro" in The New York Times.

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man shows a kind of internal conflicts among African men and in an African man against the background of irresponsible dominance of white men in the American society.

The protagonist, a young African man, of the novel eventually did not trust socialism, African American human rights movement, and Christian churches but his own judgement on the situation.

The one who did the most harmful thing to the protagonist was the black president of a university in a small Southern town for African Americans where he studied before moving to New York. But the one who triggered the tragic event for the protagonist was a white board member of the university who came to visit the university from New York.

So, this story suggests that black men have two enemies, rich and dominant white men and rich and successful black men who serve rich and dominant white men.

Barack Obama became US president only after the 2001 9/11 Terror and the 2008 Financial Crisis, because even ordinary white men found that they had their enemies in rich and dominant white men.

But as today ordinary white men are satisfied with remoteness of Islamic terror in the US and recovered economy, they have opted to have a white president, Trump, who is, though, very rich and biased in his social philosophy.

African American men seem to have to continue their experiments in their struggle to establish their kingdom like the protagonist of Invisible Man.

**** **** ****Mar 8:13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.Mar 8:14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.Mar 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

Roughly between AD 1 to 500, Jewish people were enjoying their living and business in the Roman Empire though they were expelled out of Palestine and Jerusalem after the Jewish-Roman wars around 100. Christian churches were busy trying to establish their base in the Empire, and thus Christian authority did not especially hate Jewish people. Specifically, before the Great Barbarian Invasion started around 300 and continued through 500 to 700, Jewish people had already settled in many European cities under control of the Roman Empire. So, when ancestors of current Germans and Frenchmen started to settle in regions of Germany and France of today, Jewish people had been already living there. Without prevalence of Christianity, Jewish people had no problems in coexisting with those new settlers, namely ancestors of Germans and Frenchmen of today.

Roughly between 500 and 1000, Christian churches were busy establishing their base in Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire. In the period of the early Middle Ages, most of European people did not read the Bible but heard preaching of priests in churches. They had no special reasons to hate Jewish people as enemies of Christianity. But church leaders and priests who could read the Bible, written in Latin or Greek, came to feel prejudice toward Jewish people.

Roughly between 1000 and 1500, the Vatican solidified its power base and authority through sending Christian Crusades to Jerusalem. To further strengthen their power base, they found easy targets in Jewish people. The contents of the Bible came to be diffused more widely among European people, and they came to find enemies of Christianity in Jewish people. The more the Vatican system was fixed, the more Jewish people came to look like a kind of enemies of Christianity.

Roughly between 1500 and 2000, the printing technology allowed the Bible to be read by ordinary Europeans. They found that Jewish people were depicted in the Gospels as a kind of enemies of Christ Jesus. While some Jewish people came to be suppressed to live in ghettos, other Jewish people came to become members of the middle class in the European society. And especially they succeeded in the financial sector like Rothschild, because the Vatican did not encourage Christians to be engaged in money handling and accumulation of income interest. But this balance between Jewish people and biased Europeans collapsed in the early 20th century, leading to the Holocaust. However, after WWII, Jewish people succeeded in establishing their nation Israel.

And today, in the early 21st century, it looks like prejudice against Jewish people has gone, while more and more Jewish people are engaged in the financial sector or highly intelligent professions, especially, in the US.

But, the Gospels are still there. And, Jewish people show no acceptance of Christ Jesus as God, which is the key ideology of the Vatican and other Christian churches. The underlying issue is not yet solved.

The first step to the solution of the prejudice against Jewish people is to review the key ideology of the Vatican and the religion Christianity that Christ Jesus is God and Jewish people have rejected God. It is important, since Abraham, Moses, and Christ Jesus were originally all of Hebrews.

**** **** ****Joh 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.Joh 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

Saturday, August 12, 2017

**** **** ****Joh 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

How Christianity was accepted by Roman citizens is very important, since it will shed light on the essence of this religion on which the global civilization of today has been established through the 2000-year long history of Europe and 500-year long history of America.

There were no authentic and universally available Christian Bibles in the Roman Empire after the start of preaching by Paul, Peter, etc. But more and more Roman citizens came to believe in Christianity as time went by. In 393, a Roman emperor adopted Christianity as state religion.

It means in 300 years after the death of Paul and Peter, Christianity never ceased to spread in the society of the Empire. But, there were no authentic Bible and no printing technique to apply to making copies of the Bible, if any. So, Christianity must have spread through preaching by Christian leaders. Something in their preaching must have greatly appealed to Roman citizens.

But these early preachers or priests had to learn the religion by reading manually copied Gospels, since all the four Gospels were written in the first century around Rome. Based on knowledge obtained from reading the Gospels, they delivered their preaching to citizens. Then, what were the most effective elements in the Gospels for making Roman citizens believe in Christianity?

That is the relationship between people and God. Roman citizens must have for the first time known the theory that God was their father in Heaven and they were encouraged to pray to God. This Christian teaching must have been very revolutionary in the ancient world. Christ Jesus said to ask help or anything from God and then they would receive what they wanted if they had faith.

In the ancient world, although there was the concept of gods, there was no clear relationship between gods and men. Hebrews believed that their God guided them and helped them, but they did not specify their God as their father. Roman citizens for the first time learnt that they could pray to God even personally for help. They found a dependable God in the teaching of Christianity. In the society whose order was maintained by military power of the Empire, they had no assurance of their lives and peace of their minds. But Christianity presented God as their father in Heaven whom they could spiritually depend on. So, more and more Roman citizens must have come to believe in Christianity, since there were no other comparable religions.

The Gospels even taught them how to pray to God. Early Christian priests read it by reading manually copied Gospels. And they delivered it to Roman citizens as they read it in the Gospels. If somebody prayed to God of Christ Jesus, he or she would be called a Christian. So, Christianity started to prevail among Roman citizens due to these revolutionary teachings on the relationship between God and men.

Today, scientifically it cannot be proved that God once visited the human society in a form of a man 2000 years ago. Science cannot define the relationship between God and men. But we must be able to find why Christianity prevailed in the Roman Empire in 300 years after Jesus' Crucifixion, death of Paul and Peter, and the fall of Jerusalem through the Jewish-Roman wars.

And, as ancient Roman citizens needed the teaching of Christ Jesus, people of today must need the teaching of Christ Jesus, no matter in what manner, because human beings today are essentially the same as they were 2000 years ago.

**** **** ****Luk 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Tuesday, August 08, 2017

It was in the 15th century that printing of the Bible began in Europe.

So, 1500 years after Christianity was launched in Europe, Christians read only manually copied copies of the Bible in Greek or Latin or did not read the Bible because they had no copies.

It is said that the literacy rate in ancient Greek was about 10%, and the literacy rate in the Roman Empire was smaller than Greek's.

And it was in the late first century that the Gospels and Paul's letters were written. And it was between the 4th and the 5th centuries that the Vatican officially selected and decided the constitution of the Bible. So, almost 500 years, Christian did not have authentic sets of the Bible books if they could read books.

It means Christianity was not taught to the public through the Bible but mainly through preaching in churches for more than 1500 years after its foundation. But church leaders could read the Bible. Only they could read and interpret the Bible. If ordinary Europeans who could not read Latin wanted to learn about Christ Jesus and Christianity, they had to go to church and listen to priests reading the Bible or interpreting it into their own languages.

It is very different from practices of Christians or the general public of today. Today people can obtain the Bible in their own languages from any book shops or even read it online for free. Any academic studies or discussions on Christ Jesus and early Christians can be obtained in a similar manner.

So, Roman citizens or Europeans till the 15th century or so could get information about the Bible and Christianity in a very limited quantity. And only churches and priests could provide such information.

Especially, in old days before diffusion of printing techniques, any respectable priests could read and write and could preach a sermon based on information they got by reading the Bible. So, being intellectual or learned is an essential condition to be priests or Christian leaders.

In this context, the Gospels and Paul's letters were not written for the general public. But they were written for Christian leaders in the Roman Empire who would read out the Gospels for others or lay believers. In other words, the Gospels were written for the purpose of being read out in an assembly. Accordingly the Gospels must have been intended to be dramatic and thus able to make an appeal.

The Gospels were not written for study and exploration of Christ Jesus and God. But the Gospels were written as an extension of preaching by Christ Jesus.

Therefore, to read the Gospels in a manner as if we were hearing words of Christ Jesus is a right way of reading the Gospels rather than in a manner of studying Christianity.

The Gospels might have been originally viewed and handled in a very different manner than they are today.

**** **** ****Mat 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Saturday, August 05, 2017

Christ Jesus healed some sick people. He never failed in healing them.

In Buddhism, there are four types of pain for human beings: living, disease, aging, and death. Christ Jesus saved people from living, disease, and death. But what about aging?

However Christ Jesus said that one had to be like a child to enter the Kingdom of God.

Or it might imply that there is no aging for men who are admitted into the Kingdom of God. And Christianity teaches that the goal of righteous life is to get eternal life where there are no problems related to aging.

Every trouble in living, every trouble in disease, every trouble in aging, and every fear in death must be addressed by any true religion. In this context, teaching of Christ Jesus is a true religion.

**** **** ****Mat 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,Mat 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.Mat 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

Friday, August 04, 2017

The effect of the Gospels are easily understood. Even people today can become familiar with the situation in Palestine 2000 years ago. But the effect of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible is also significant.

When they read the Gospels, people of today even find that human situations in Palestine 2000 years ago are very easy to understand. Nothing so remote and uniquely foreign is depicted in the Gospels except some traditions and practices concerning spiritual and religious matters such as Satan and devils. Words of Christ Jesus and attitudes of disciples are rather modern. There are no barriers caused by the time gap of 2000 years that make people of today find it difficult to comprehend contents of the Gospels. Christ Jesus is depicted as if He was alive only decades ago. So, when reading the Gospels, even people of today believe that Christ Jesus was once alive and spoke and acted as the Gospels showed.

But when reading the Old Testament, what do people of today feel and find? It is the history of Hebrews, a tribe in the Middle East, in a time span between 4000 years ago to 2000 years ago. But, people would learn the history of Hebrews as if it were the history of their ancestors. Some European Christians, American Christians, African Christians, and Asian Christians read the Old Testament as if it were the history of their ancestors.

The purpose of including the Old Testament in the Christian Bible was to prove that Christ Jesus was the Son of God or the Messiah who had been prophesied, predicted and expected long by Hebrews. But, Christian leaders in the first to fifth or so centuries must have thought that the only meaningful history for them was not the history of their ancestors, mostly Romans or the like, but the history of human ancestors of Christ Jesus.

When those books of the Christian Bible were being selected by Christian leaders around the fourth to the fifth century, the Roman Empire was being collapsed. Different tribes were invading the Empire from the north and the northeast. People must have been in confusion. All they could rely on was their religion Christianity. They chose to regard the history of human ancestors of Christ Jesus as their own to rely on as their backbone of existence.

So, if anybody in a conquered tribe or nation had become Christians, it could forget about or did not need to mind the history of its ancestors that was being lost due to dominance and occupation by other powerful force but it could find the history of Hebrews depicted in the Old Testament as its own.

So, pious Christians might believe that the history of their ancestors was written in the Old Testament no matter if they were not originally from Hebrews.

Indeed the history of Hebrews looked not so worse or better than any other tribe's. It is humane enough. In this context, people who believe Christ Jesus today, at least partially, share the same history as that of Judaists. And it might go the same with Muslims who respect Abraham, Moses, etc.

So, the representative history of the mankind up to 2000 years ago might be the Old Testament. It means that today there are so many spiritual descendants of Hebrews who had lived till 2000 years ago.

**** **** ****Mar 8:4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?Mar 8:5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

The most revolutionary concept in Christianity is that God sent His Son to the human world.

In ancient world before the emergence of Christ Jesus, there had been no such a concept that God would send His Son to the human world. Although God or His Angels sometimes appeared to Abraham, his sons, Moses, etc. and the direct relationship between God and Judaists was not so foreign, such a concept was not popular among other tribes, including Greeks and Romans at the time.

This gap in perception of the relationship between God and human beings was very large. But this concept was eventually accepted and supported by a majority of Roman citizens consisting of various people of different tribes with different cultural and religious backgrounds.

The core of Christianity is this intimacy between God and human beings. So, to emphasize this concept, it may be natural that devout leaders of Christians adopted the idea that Christ Jesus Himself was God. This idea was also so revolutionary. Many reviews were made on this theory. But as it was the highest way to show respect for Christ Jesus to regard Him as God, true or wrong, proponents of this theory wan disputes about theology of Christianity.

However, today who can prove that Christ Jesus is God?

Nonetheless, there had been no such a concept as a certain person, who lived as a simple human being, was God in the ancient world, so that the mankind as the whole entered a new era with introduction of the theory that Christ Jesus was God.

Yet, we have to review whether it was truly an intention of God.

**** **** ****Mar 8:3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.Mar 8:4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

Wednesday, August 02, 2017

Christianity began with Christ Jesus. But we know how He acted from the Gospels.

Christ Jesus traveled throughout every city and village with the twelve disciples, preaching the word of God and healing people.

It is truly a mystery that Christianity began with such small and simple activities.

But, giving more thought on the situation, have there any other men who traveled throughout every city and village with the twelve disciples, preaching the word of God and healing people in the history except Christ Jesus?

Indeed, if anybody but not the Son of God tried to travel throughout every city and village with twelve followers, preaching the word of God and healing people, he should fail. Because nobody would give them foods and shelters.

Only the Son of God can make people help Him preaching as a homeless man.

A very small and simple thing but only the Son of God can do is what Christ Jesus performed, from a certain point of view.

**** **** ****Luk 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,Luk 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,Luk 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Our sun has the life duration of abut 10 billion years, though it is about 5 billion years old like the earth.

It means that if any high-intelligent species emerges in any other planet in our galaxy, the Milky Way, which is about 13 billion years old, the planet must be 5 billion years old.

But our sun is the second generation. The materials, including some heavy metals, constituting the earth were created when the first generation sun was exploded to vanish. So, other planets where high-intelligent creatures emerge should be also planets around the second or younger generation of fixed stars.

Most of fix stars in the Milky Way have the life duration between 1000 times longer than our sun's and 1000 time shorter than our sun's. And there are currently 300 billion fixed stars in the Milky Way. Then, how many among these fixed stars are younger than the second generation and can have planets 5 billion year old or more, which is necessary for the earth to produce the human species?

In addition, if once high-intelligent species could emerge and develop their civilizations after 5 billion years in their planets, they would be probably able to build advanced signaling systems that would function to send radio signals to the universe on a permanent basis even after their civilizations are terminated or solar systems to which their planets belong have been exploded to vanish. In this case, artificial radio signals must continue to be sent to the universe even after the builders of the signaling systems have been terminated.

So, how many fixed stars and planets could have such high-intelligent species as can and could build advanced systems to send their artificial signals on a permanent basis to the universe in our Milky Way that has 300 billion fixed stars?

May be 1/100 of 1/100 of 300 billion, then there are 30 million fixed stars could meat the condition of 5 billion years. Then, how may among them can have actually planets where life can be generated. May be 1/100 of 30 million, then there are 300,000. Actually some scientists estimate that there are some 100,000 planets in our galaxy where life was generated.

But how many among these planets can sustain life and allow continual evolution of living things to the level of anthropoid apes of the earth?

May be 1/100 of 300,000, so there are 3,000 planets that might have living things equivalent to anthropoid apes of the earth. But how many of them allow further evolution to the level of the mankind on the earth?

May be 1/100 of 3,000, so that there are 30 planets in our galaxy that might have living things equivalent to the mankind on the earth.

Then, there can be 30 radio signaling systems sending signals to all over the Milky Way whose diameter is about 100,000 light years. Those high-intelligent species in other planets might have started to send signals 1 billion years ago, 1 million years ago, or just 100,000 years ago or 100 year ago. Probably 70% of them must have started signal sending 100,000 years ago or in older time. Then we, on the earth, could receive more than 20 different artificial radio signals from somewhere in the Milky Way.

And there are 300 billion galaxies in the whole universe. Although this universe is more than 13 billion light years wide (or 40 billion light year wide due to acceleration of the expansion of the universe), 1/100 of 1/100 of all the galaxies might be within a range where artificial signals could reach the earth from them as distinct artificial signals. So then, millions of artificial signals coming from not only our galaxy but also other galaxies must be reaching the earth now.

However, so far as now, we have not received any such artificial radio signals from not only our galaxy but also other galaxies.

So, we have to review the calculation method. Although there are 30 planets in our galaxy that might have living things equivalent to the mankind on the earth, the probability that their civilizations develop from the level of ancient Egypt to the level of post-Industrial Revolution of the earth must be less than 1/100. Even if it is 1/100, none of these 30 planets can have high-intelligent species whose civilizations can develop from the level of ancient Egypt to the level of post-Industrial Revolution of the earth. If this probability is one part per million, there will be absolutely no high-intelligent specie that can send radio signals on a permanent basis to the universe. If it is one billionth, no such high-intelligent species in the whole universe.

But we could develop from the level of ancient Egypt to the level of post-Industrial Revolution. This must be the only case in the whole universe. We will soon build a radio signaling system sending messages to the whole universe that can function on a permanent basis. Then, a million years or a billion years later, a high-intelligent species on a planet somewhere in the universe might miraculously catch the signal.

Then, what made the human beings on the earth develop their civilization from the level of ancient Egypt to the level of post-Industrial Revolution? In other word, what happened between ancient Egypt where great pyramids were built and the post-Industrial Revolution era with advanced science and technologies?

The answer is the emergence of the Son of God on the earth 2000 years ago in addition to various direct interference of God with Judaists, Christians, and Muslims in these 4000 years.

Only God can create and allow high-intelligent species of the level of the mankind to develop their civilization to the post-Industrial Revolution level in this universe. And the probability of the emergence of the Son of God and direct interference of God must be one of 300 billion times 300 billion, since there are 300 billion fixed stars in one galaxy and there are 300 billion galaxies in the whole universe.

**** **** ****Luk 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.Luk 7:31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

In the Milky Way, there are 300 billion fixed stars or kind of suns. The diameter of the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years.

So, if the mankind sends radio-wave signals to other fixed stars in the Milky Way, they will be received by other high-intelligent species, if they existed, in planets around these fixed stars within 100,000 years.

It has been 13 billion years since this Milky Way was created. And it took 5 billion years for the mankind to emerge on the earth. And the mankind will sooner or later send radio-wave signals to other fixed stars in the Milky Way on a permanent basis. The mankind will build a special advanced system that will function for 100 years, 10,000 years, or one million years to automatically send these signals to other species in other planets in this Milky Way. Then, if another high-intelligent species emerges in another planet in the Milky Way, they will surely receive the radio waves the mankind is sending.

However, on the other hand, although it has been 13 billion years since this Milky Way was created and radio waves can travel across the Milky Way in 100,000 years, we, the mankind on the earth, have not received any such artificial radio signals from any other planets in the Milky Way. We have not received any such signals from other galaxies outside the Milky Way while this whole universe was created about 14 billion years ago.

It is strange. High-intelligent species, if they existed, in other planets in the Milky Way or other galaxies must be able to build special advanced systems that function for 100 years, 10,000 years, or one million years to automatically send their radio signals to other species in other planets, including the earth. But we have not received any such signals from the universe.

It means that the probability that high-intelligent creatures, like the mankind, emerge on any planet is zero not only in this Milky Way but also in any other galaxies in the universe.

There are some factors that have influence on this probability such as the probability of fixed stars to be situated in an appropriate range from a galaxy center, the probability of a fixed star to have appropriate planets for emergence of life, the probability of appropriate conditions of the nature of a planet for development and evolution of living things from their primitive forms to advanced forms, the probability of advanced living things to have higher intelligence like the mankind on the earth, the probability of the high-intelligent species to survive long and build civilization like that of mankind, etc. And it is thought that the total probability for a high-intelligent species to appear in a planet in the whole universe, not only in the Milky Way, is almost zero. The mankind on the earth in this solar system of this galaxy, the Milky Way, is extremely exceptional.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation

So, we have to think why the mankind could develop its civilization to this advanced state. And, the answer is there was direct interference of God with the creatures on the earth. Due to God of Abraham, Christ Jesus, and Islam, the mankind could build this advanced civilization. Especially it was almost 1700 years after the appearance of the Son of God on the earth that the Industrial Revolution occurred in the Christian Europe. And such interference has not occurred in any other planets in the universe in these 14 billion years. Therefore, there are no other advanced civilizations in this universe except that of the mankind which should be ascribed to interference of God.

That is why we cannot find any other civilizations in our Milky Way and other galaxies or the whole universe where there are countless fixed starts, whose specific number can be calculated as 300 billion (the number of fixed stars in a galaxy) times 300 billion (the number of galaxies in the whole universe), in addition to more planets.

**** **** ****Mar 7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.Mar 7:30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic theologian, saw God when he was 31 years old from 10.30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on November 23, 1654.

He wrote the incident in a sheet of paper and made a clean copy of it, both of which were stitched into his clothing. But they were found by chance by his servant or the like after Pascal's death when he checked the clothing of dead Pascal.

So, Pascal did not intend to show his writing about his encounter with God:

The year of grace 1654,

Monday, 23 November, feast of St. Clement, pope and martyr, and others in the martyrology. Vigil of St. Chrysogonus, martyr, and others. From about half past ten at night until about half past midnight,

FIRE.

GOD of Abraham, GOD of Isaac, GOD of Jacobnot of the philosophers and of the learned.Certitude. Certitude. Feeling. Joy. Peace.GOD of Jesus Christ.My God and your God.Your GOD will be my God.Forgetfulness of the world and of everything, except GOD.He is only found by the ways taught in the Gospel.Grandeur of the human soul.Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you.Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.I have departed from him:They have forsaken me, the fount of living water.My God, will you leave me?Let me not be separated from him forever.This is eternal life, that they know you, the one true God, and the one that you sent, Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.I left him; I fled him, renounced, crucified.Let me never be separated from him.He is only kept securely by the ways taught in the Gospel:Renunciation, total and sweet.Complete submission to Jesus Christ and to my director.Eternally in joy for a day’s exercise on the earth.May I not forget your words. Amen.

https://churchpop.com/2016/04/19/night-fire-blaise-pascals/

One impressive word is "eternal life."

How can one be sure that he sees eternal life? Pascal saw God in the form of fire. And he remembered the Gospel as the only guide to God. Then, he was sure that he was seeing eternal life.

Anyway Pascal lived and died in Europe before the bourgeois revolution and the industrial revolution, although Shakespeare had already completed his life.

So, his words sound remote for us, but they are a rare record of a man seeing God in these centuries.

**** **** ****Mar 7:26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.Mar 7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Once there was a man who ran a shop to sell little birds in Osaka, Japan.

One day he consulted a psychic for guidance who told the man that he had better become a fortune teller himself. So, the man changed his business and he was engaged in fortune telling for more than 30 years eventually to became a unique fortune teller.

He developed his own method of fortune-telling based on various skills such as those of ancient Mesopotamia, etc. He found that the key to fortune telling is a level of cultural sophistication of a fortune teller. A fortune teller can gather various data of his client, including the date and place of birth and a state of stars and constellations related to the client, but these data must be interpreted. And the interpretation depends on a level of cultural sophistication of a fortune teller.

He said that he could tell fortune of his clients, but he did not like to check his own fortune.

Some time after the fortune teller was interviewed by an editor of a magazine and told these things, he died.

However, early Christians did not trust fortune tellers, since they could not defeat evil spirits.

Act 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Act 19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Act 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Satan can even manipulate fortune telling. But, no matter what fate men live, their spirits are more important.

Accordingly, the word of God is more powerful than fortune telling.

**** **** ****Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Christianity failed to prevail in some areas in the world: the Middle East, India, and most part of East Asia, especially China and Japan.

In other words, Christianity simply prevailed in Europe before Columbus or around 1500 and in some colonized regions by Europeans, namely Africa and America, after Columbus or around 1500.

The areas that did not accept Christianity had other religions deeply rooted (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, etc.) or clearly competitive to Christianity (Islam and Judaism).

In this context, the religion Christianity cannot claim that it is the only right religion for the mankind, since there are so many religions whose followers have not accepted Christianity in these 2000 years. Indeed, in its process of development Christianity adopted many aspects of the ancient Greek and Roman Civilizations. As a result, Christianity became very European to the extent that other peoples in areas with very different cultural backgrounds from European's could not simply accept Christianity.

But it is strange that Christianity has become such a religion while Christ Jesus declared that He is the Son of God and He wished that His teaching would prevail in the world. So, we have to think that true Christianity is not what we see as Christianity today in the world. True Christianity must be obtained by subtracting European features from the present Christianity.

Especially the Vatican and other church systems reflect these European features that have been integrated into original Christianity. However, the Gospels seem to reflect original Christianity, since they were written in the first century. Later churches and the Vatican leaders made biased interpretation of the Gospels and especially the words of Christ Jesus, which became authentic teaching of Christianity. However, to find original Christianity, we must check the Gospels by ourselves with reference to our daily lives.

Anyway it is impossible that the Son of God came to this world 2000 years ago just to give one of several major religions in the world to the mankind. Or, we have to know why the religion the Son of God gave to the mankind could not prevail overwhelmingly as He wished.

And, if we could find how true Christianity was modified by Europeans and the Vatican to the extent that the European Christianity became critically different from true Christianity the Son of God intended, we cannot use the fact that Christianity has not overwhelmingly prevailed in the world as a proof that Christ Jesus was not the Son of God.

**** **** ****Joh 7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

Saturday, July 22, 2017

There are billions of people living in this world. Who knows their minds, hearts, and living situations except God alone?

Even Christ Jesus did not declare that He knew everything about everybody. But Christ Jesus said that God knew, for example, the number of hairs of everybody. He implied that God knew what everybody was thinking deep in its mind.

Indeed it is said that there are atoms in the number of about 10 raised to the power of 80, namely 10^80, in this universe. In theory, God must know every state of these atoms in any moment, since He is almighty.

So, the ultimate end of science and technology of human beings is to have ability to know every state of 10^80 atoms. And the mankind might have ability to manipulate all these atoms according to their will. At the moment the mankind can be said to get a little closer to God. The mankind might be able to crate any situation in the universe, including the fate of them.

But still the universe is what was created by God. And to create this universe, the mankind must be something beyond this universe, which must be in theory impossible.

In other words, if the mankind can control this universe completely, it cannot be still God.

**** **** ****Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

God Himself, holy spirits, angels, devils, and Satan are real in the Bible. These spiritual entities are sometimes visible to men.

But there are no scenes depicted in the Gospels that Christ Jesus called upon spirits of dead men from Heaven or the hell.

So, there must be a simple rule in the spiritual domain that men cannot invoke spirits of dead men. But it does not mean that there are no spiritual entities of dead men.

Especially, the Gospels imply that Christ Jesus that appeared before His followers after His physical death on the cross was not a spiritual entity but a living man.

This universe was created in a manner so that every material and substance in this world follow the certain laws the science has made clear. There is clear distinction and separation between the material world and the spiritual world.

However, God Himself, holy spirits, angels, devils, and Satan are real in the Bible. These spiritual entities are sometimes visible to men.

Indeed if God should allow these spiritual entities to appear before men, they can, since God is the creator of the material universe and spiritual universe.

And, Christ Jesus said not to be deceived by ill spirits, because there is real risk for men to be deceived by ill spirits.

**** **** ****Mar 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

Sunday, July 16, 2017

There is an outstanding temple or a pagoda near the Kyoto Station every sightseer visiting Kyoto can take a look at from a Shinkansen super-express train.

http://88tetu.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1826.html

Tō-ji (East Temple) is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect in Kyoto, Japan. It once had a partner, Sai-ji (West Temple) and, together, they stood alongside the Rashomon, gate to the Heian capital. It was formally known as Kyō-ō-gokoku-ji (The Temple for the Defense of the Nation by Means of the King of Doctrines) which indicates that it previously functioned as a temple providing protection for the nation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8D-ji

It is said that To-ji was first built in 796 when the capital of Japan was moved from Heijyo-kyo (in Yamato, presently Nara Prefecture) to Heian-kyo. It was soon given to one of the most prominent Buddhist priests in the Japanese history, Kukai. Since then the temple stood there for more than 1200 years.

The To-ji temple (precincts: 255 m in east to west and 515 m in north to south) has two notable buildings as seen in the above picture: the Five-Story Pagoda and the Kondo or the Golden Hall.

The Five-Story Pagoda had been burnt down four times in the past. The current one was built in 1644 by then shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. This Pagoda has now become a central symbol of Kyoto for tourism.

The Golde Hall had been also burnt down once but was rebuilt in 1491 as we see it today. The building places 21 Buddhist statues built in various periods in the past (15 of them were built when the temple was built around 800).

One interesting point is that this symbol temple of Kyoto has its main building built almost when Columbus set sail on the Atlantic to reach America in 1492. In other words, the Golden Hall of To-ji, the most outstanding temple of Kyoto, has the same history as America.

So, the year around 1500 seems to be so important that God left something even in Japan to remind people of the importance of the year 1500 or so. It must be the Golden Hall of the To-ji temple with the impressive Five-Story Pagoda at the entrance of Kyoto.

In my theory, the history of there 2000 years in the world is divided into four periods each of which lasted 500 years:1 to 500: Start of diffusion of Christianity in the Roman Empire500 to 1000: Spread of Christianity in post-Roman Empire Europe1000 to 1500: Development of authority of the Vatican1500 to 2000: Spread of Christianity in the whole world

As we now live in the last period between 1500 to 2000 or so, the year 1500 or 1492 (1491) is so important and symbolic even for the Japanese, which is attested by existence of the Golden Hall of To-ji, the symbolic Buddhist temple in Kyoto, the most famous historic city in Japan.

Scientifically there is no answer as to whether or not this universe was created by God.

However, the most effective and reasonable definition of God is that God is the one who created this universe. The God is the sole creator of this universe and He controls everything in this universe, including the fate of each individual.

But God has a strong characteristic: the proponent of love and goodness. God is against every evil and thus He is the opposite to Satan. Even it can be interpreted that God created this universe for His love to create human beings in the universe.

In terms of the material aspect, God is the creator of the universe. But in terms of the spiritual aspect, God is the requester of love and goodness.

So, people think God has the superpower and He is almighty. Accordingly, He can save people if He wishes. So, people pray to God so that He saves them from any hardships or tragedies.

In this regard, it is interesting and useful to know what Christ Jesus said about God, since Christ Jesus seems to be the very human being who is the closet to God, if we don't simply admit that Christ Jesus is equal to God.

Christ Jesus said that God is perfect and God only is good.

So, any serious discussions about God must be focused on completeness and goodness of God.

But, the mankind seem not to get fully advanced to discuss the matter fully.

For example, can we find completeness and goodness of God in a present state of religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?

Anyway if you believe God is perfect, you may be a follower of God.**** **** ****Luk 7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.Luk 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Friday, July 14, 2017

One day God or an angel tried to kill Moses but his wife Zipporah saved him:

After all the men in Egypt who had sought his death had died, Moses returned to Egypt. Moses took his wife and sons and started his journey back to Egypt. On the road, they stayed in an inn, where a mysterious and much-debated incident that features Zipporah took place. The Bible describes that God came to kill Moses (Exodus 4:24-27). Zipporah quickly circumcised Gershom with a sharp stone and touched Moses' feet with it, saying "You are a husband of blood!" (Exodus 4:26.) Some scholars explain the reason why God came to kill Moses was because of the covenant he made with Abraham. "'He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.'" (Genesis 17:10-14)

Specifically, Exodus reads:

Exo 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
Exo 4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
Exo 4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
Exo 4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
Exo 4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

God in Judaism is different from God of Christianity in that the former seems to have acted like a god of an ancient tribe whose survival depended on how its members absolutely followed the word of God.

Such God would not send His Son to this world that would betray and execute Him.

But if such God sent His Son to this cruel world, how terrible the revenge would be which He should take on this world that betrayed and executed His Son.

**** **** ****Luk 7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Historically, there is some clear distinction between the Han tribe, a major tribe of Chinese, and Japanese. Their language systems are also different. However, in terms of culture and civilization after the era of simple hunting and food gathering about 2500 years ago or more, Japanese owed many things to China (and Korea as an extension of the Chinese civilization).

However, it was till Japanese missions to Sui China dispatched between 600 and 618 that Japanese imperial court and political leaders unconditionally respected Chinese courts.

Between 607 and 838, Japan sent 19 missions to China. Knowledge was the principal objective of each expedition. For example: Priests studied Chinese Buddhism. Officials studied Chinese government. Doctors studied Chinese medicine. Painters studied Chinese painting. Approximately one third of those who embarked from Japan did not survive to return home.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_missions_to_Sui_China

Especially in the second mission to the Sui dynasty, the Japanese imperial court took a bold stance by indicating that Japan was not a tributary or a subject kingdom to Sui.

Ono was appointed by Empress Suiko as an official envoy (Kenzuishi) to the Sui court in 607 (Imperial embassies to China), and he delivered the famous letter from Japan's Prince Shōtoku which began "The Son of Heaven where the sun rises [Japan], to the Son of Heaven where the sun sets [China], may good health be with you." Emperor Yang was angered at being addressed in this way, although it is not clear whether he was angered more by the insult of Sui being referred to as the land of the setting sun, or by the use of Son of Heaven to refer both to himself and the emperor of Japan, hinting that they were equals, when China considered the Yamato state of Japan to be nothing more than an insignificant barbarian state. Nevertheless, Emperor Yang was probably more interested in obtaining Japan's support in his campaigns against Goguryeo than in matters of decorum, and despite the insult, he sent his own envoy, Pei Shiqing (Hai-sei-sei in Japanese), back to Japan with Ono. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_no_Imoko

Since then, any Japanese emperors, samurai leaders (shoguns), and government kept this stance for more than 1400 years to date so as to make Japan politically and militarily independent from China (except one samurai shogun who wanted wealth in trade with China).

China has had a large land area and a large population with old and rich culture since early centuries of history. Any nations around China have been cautious in their relationship with China so as not to be absorbed by Chinese power. (A recent example is Tibet.)

However, how deep Japan was once influenced by Chinese power could be seen in an example of Himiko, one of the most notable and popular figures in the Japanese history.

Himiko or Pimiko ( c. 170–248 AD) was a shaman queen of Yamataikoku in Wa (ancient Japan). Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265), and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler following decades of warfare among the kings of Wa. Early Japanese histories do not mention Himiko, but historians associate her with legendary figures such as Empress Consort Jingū, who was Regent (c. 200–269) in roughly the same era as Himiko.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himiko

Hiumiko might be one of ancestors of the current Imperial Family of Japan. But the theory that Himiko was subject to a Chinese kingdom could not be accepted by later Japanese Imperial family, politicians, leaders of the Japanese society, and scholars especially before the end of WWII where Imperial Japan fought China.

But even before Himiko, there is a historical fact that a unique Chinese arrived at Japan. It is Xu Fu ("Jyofuku" in Japanese), a kind of sorcerer of a country near the East China Sea.Xu Fu got permission to meet in person the First Emperor of Qin (259 BC to 210 BC), who happened to be traveling for inspection of vast local territories he had conquered. Xu Fu said to the Emperor that if he was allowed to sail eastward from the Chinese continent with support of the Emperor, he would reach a "legendary holy land in the east" (which is believed to be Japan of ancient days) and bring back some arcanums that would give immortality to the Emperor. So, the First Emperor approved Xu Fu's plan.Xu Fu is believed to have arrived at Japan, but had no intention to return to China and the First Emperor of China with the elixir of life that might be found in Japan, because the Emperor was well known for his cruelty and severe oppression of people. Xu Fu succeeded in deceiving the Emperor, in this context. (http://eereporter.blogspot.jp/2009/08/i-am-not-of-this-world.html)This is the oldest episode that China had an influence on Japanese culture. And, even today, there are some Japanese who think that Xu Fu must have some relationship with the origin of the Imperial Family of Japan.The relationship between Japan and China is no simple in these 2000 years.

**** **** ****Luk 7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

Saturday, July 08, 2017

Everybody wants to be rich. But nobody uses violence, knives, or guns to be rich today, since there is any degree of rule of or control by law in addition to the police force.

In the Roman Empire about 2000 years ago, everyone wanted to be rich, too. But there were not good police systems in ancient Rome and the Empire. Even armed soldiers were forbidden in Rome except for some specified mission. Only a small number of soldiers were stationed in Rome. And as the assassination of Caesar showed, there were not enough special services for public figures.

However, there were many slaves in Rome. They were of curse restrained by not only Roman laws but also physical forces of their masters. It means that although there were not many soldiers working as policemen in Rome, each free citizen was armed with swords, knives, etc. Essentially, individuals in the Roman Empire had to protect themselves by themselves. And, they had to suppress and manage their slaves first by their individual forces, although the Roman authority would send soldiers to suppress slaves who beat their masters and ran away.

In addition, the Roman Empire was not reluctant to give Roman citizenship to members of foreign tribes or ex-slaves taken to Rome after wars. But, in Rome, order and peace were maintained not only by laws or the police forces but also by armed individual citizens and their will to maintain order and peace.

In other words, criminals could not be so easily arrested or punished by the Roman authority unless they had gathered to form a formidable force to which Roman troops must be mobilized to suppress it.

Originally, Rome was built by members of a tribe. Order and peace were kept in Rome, because Romans had to fight in unity against other tribes and external forces for survival. So, nobody in the tribe wanted a state of anarchy through violence and crimes. No police was needed. Basically, individuals should protect themselves with their own arms in peace time.

But as Rome became a center of the ancient Europe, many members of other tribes were brought to Rome as slaves, guests, or Roman citizens. But the social system didn't change much. Order and peace in peace time must be secured by individuals with their own arms.

This state of the Roman society allowed many criminals to perform crimes without being arrested or punished if they did not challenge the Roman authority. So, ancient Rome or other cities in the Empire were full of petty crimes.

So, it is very natural for poor or weak Roman citizens and slaves or ex-slaves accepted Christianity, a religion of peace, to save themselves from violence and crimes. Christian citizens could trust other Christian citizens. They gathered, communicated, and kept contact with one another to protect themselves from violence and crimes being commonly observed in Rome and other cities in the Empire.

This must be one of reasons why Christianity could establish it in ancient Rome and the Roman Empire.

So, put extremely without fear of misunderstanding, we might be allowed to think if in America today there is only a small number of policemen, and order and peace of the society or communities are depended on armed individuals, Christianity should prevail more in a more serious manner.

**** **** ****Luk 7:8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.